Upholstery ball



(No Model.)

G. F. HBNSEL.

UPHOLSTERY BALL, TAssLL, 6m. No. 509,661.

Patented Nov. 28, 1893.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE F. I-IENSEL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

U PHOLSTERY BALL, TASSEL, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,661, dated November 28, 1893.

Application filed July 18| 1892. Serial No. 440,376- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. 4I-IENSEL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Upholstery Balls, Tassels, &c., of which the following is a speciiication.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and acceptable substitute for the netted coverings sometimes applied to upholstery balls, tassel blocks, and the like, and this object I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in whichm Figure l, is a side view of an upholstery ball with covering, in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2, is an end View of the ball. Fig. 3, is a side view illustrating the first step in the operation of covering the ball; and Fig. 4, is a side view illustrating a modification of the invention.

Ornamental upholstery balls, tassel blocks and the like are frequently provided with a netted covering for decorative purposes, and these coverings have hitherto been formed upon the ball by hand a stitch, or rather a knot at a time, skilled labor being required for the purpose and the operation being a tedious and expensive one.

In carrying out Iny invention I incase the ball in a knitted web gathered together and secured at the ends of the ball so that said web will be properly retained in place. I first knit a tubular web of coarse or open mesh and this web is then cut into such lengths as may be required for the ball or other block to be covered. The ball being inserted into a length of the knitted tube as shown in Fig. 3, said tube is stretched lengthwise until it fits snugly to the central portion of the ball or block or other portion of greatest diameter. If the ends of the knitted tube then project beyond the ball, the courses of stitches are raveled out down to the desired point and the surplus thread removed, leaving, however, sufficient to run through the stitches of the end course and draw the same together over the end of the ball or block as shown in Fig. 2, the free end of the thread being then secured in any available manner, or, if desired, the stitches of the end courses of the covering may be drawn together by a thread independent of that forming said stitches. I find that in this way an acceptable substitute for the usual hand netted coverings can be very cheaply and expeditiously produced as the netted tubes can be rapidly made upon appropriate machines and the only labor required in fitting the tubes tothe balls or blocks is the drawing together of the stitches in the end courses of the covering, work which can readily be performed by unskilled labor.

It is not necessary in carrying out my invention that the entire ball or block should be coyered, as in some cases the covering may be applied to a portion only of the block. For instance, in Fig. 4,1 have shown a block which is covered throughout one-halt` of its extent the stitches of one end course of the covering in this case-beingdrawn into a central groove in the block, while the stitches of the other end course are drawn together at the end of the block in the manner before described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The mode herein described of making ornamental upholstery balls, tassel blocks or the like, said mode consisting in first preparing a knitted tube, of open Ymesh then introducing the ball or block into this tube, and then joining or drawing together the stitches of the end courses of said knitted tube so as to confine the covering upon the ball or block, substantially as specified.

2. The within described upholstery ball, tassel block or the like, provided with a covering formed of a knitted tube of open mesh, the stitches of the end courses being drawn toward each other so as to confine the cover ngto said ball or block, substantially as speci- Ie In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. F. HENSEL.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM D. CONNEE, HARRY SMITH. 

